How artificial intelligence in Project Management is moving the industry forward

There has been a lot of talk about how artificial intelligence (AI) is going to change the world. From the way we communicate, transportation, and even the way we construct buildings. Construction actually benefits a lot from this technology and many countries all over the world already use AI in project management. While we are a bit behind, it is never too late to get started.

Here are just exciting ways AI has been used in project management:

1. Artificial Neural Networks for planning

One of the common ways AI is used is to make the studying of information easier and faster. With Artificial Neural Networks, historical data is learned by machines to predict costs and timeline. They can even assess the capabilities of a project management team. It sounds good to be true but several scientific fields use this technology all the time. This technology will definitely save a lot of teams' time and ensure they do not go over the budget.

2.AI for better design

In a given project, a lot of experts are involved: civil engineers, architects, electrical engineers, and the list goes on. With AI, it is easy to make sure their designs do not clash with each other. “Building Information Modeling is a 3D model-based process that gives architecture, engineering and construction professionals insights to efficiently plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure.” This technology makes it efficient to design especially for big projects.

3.AI for site safety

Construction is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. That is why site safety is important and that is why it is important to have a lot of safety measures in place. There is actually an AI technology that can measure compliance among workers and correlate it to site accidents. This technology can also measure if a site project is following COVID protocols. This certainly makes human resource work easier!

4. Big data and construction

In this time and age, data can come from anywhere: CCTVs along roads, pictures of bridges, data from construction sites– you name it. With this big of data that can be analyzed, the industry can make better decisions on what works and what does not. They make designs better suited for human behavior and make our structures safer. It is all about looking into the data.

There have been many exciting developments in AI and project management all over the world. JCVA is proud to be pushing the industry forward here in the Philippines. Stay tuned for more.

At JCVA, we push the project management industry forward. Partner with us. Email us at info@jcvassociates.ph and visit www.jcvassociates.ph to know more about our consultancy offerings.

Sources:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/what-is-an-artificial-neural-network/

https://constructible.trimble.com/construction-industry/what-is-bim-building-information-modeling

https://www.smartvid.io/covid19-starter-kit

Project Management Pitfalls to Look Out For

Roger Crawford once said, "Being challenged in life is inevitable; being defeated is optional."

Roger Crawford famously stated. This applies not only to life in general, but it also rings extremely well to project management.

A project manager should always look out for areas where the project might come loose and prepare plans on how to deal withthem should they ever arise. Of course, we may expect the best when a project is meticulously managed, but because we can't control everything, a project manager should plan carefully from Plan A to Z!

While all aspects of a project must be carefully evaluated, here are the more common but tricky pitfalls to look out for!

Poor Project Planning

Poor planning is one of the major project management pitfalls. Bad starts lead to bad outcomes. So for a project to run well, each area must be evaluated meticulously. From the simple ones to the more complex jobs, they must be planned and assigned correctly to ensure a better outcome.

Ambiguous Project Scope

If the project scope isn't clear, it will be hard to lead a project to success. As we work on projects, a client sees the project come to life. there are times when they would request additions. As a result, that could cause the project to take longer, cost more, or even fail.

Poor Communication

As they say, "teamwork makes the dream work." Teamwork is required to complete a project, and strong communication is essential. Poor communication can cause confusion, and delays, and lower the quality of the work and activities engaged in a project. Which in turn, jeopardizes a project's success.

Unclear Responsibilities

Team members must thoroughly comprehend where the project is headed and what is expected of them. To be capable of carrying them out as a project manager, you must ensure that duties are clarified and defined from the start in order to allow teams to become more organized and self-managed.

Lack of Trust

When you trust your team members, they will feel empowered and go above and beyond to raise the standard while at work. However, confidence is lost when judgments are made by a project manager who does not feel safe. If you lack trust, you may be able to complete your project on time. However, because morale is poor, the team will have a negative atmosphere which makes working on future projects together more challenging.

Unrealistic Budgets and Targets

When you're working with clients, the estimation of budgets and targets must be precise. As we must meet all deliverables on service-level agreements, under or overestimation will put your team under the bus and affect the quality of your deliverables. This also creates client dissatisfaction as this can greatly affect their return on investment.

Lack of Risk Management

Again, a project manager must and always have a contingency plan. The actual danger to your project is being unprepared for or caught off guard by risks. No matter how carefully planned a project is, unforeseen and unplanned mistakes can and will derail your efforts and cause them to fail entirely which is why a contingency plan is needed.

Unfit Project Management Software

When you're working on a project, no matter how big or small, having a project management software will be of huge help. However, if the software you have chosen isn't cut for your industry, let alone your project's needs, the chances for failure is higher.

Manage your projects confidently with JCVA!

With JCVA's combined experience of managing projects for over 120 years, expect first-class service from our leadership team. We've also created JCVA's AGILE and VAULT, an easily accessible web-based monitoring and reporting tool to help you manage your projects. Send us an email at info@jcvassociates.ph or visit www.jcvassociates.ph to learn more about our services.

Sources:

https://www.proprofsproject.com/blog/project-management-pitfalls/

https://www.ntaskmanager.com/blog/project-management-pitfalls/

Top Questions Engineering Students Ask

Recently, the list of people who passed the civil board exams was released. The Civil Board Exam is crucial for anyone aiming to build a career in engineering.

As part of JCVA’s passion for helping young engineers and building the local engineering community, JCVA held Engineered to Win: From CE Boards to the Boardroom last March 25. The event featured JCVA’s President, Jason Valderrama, and Kippap’s founder, Victor Villanueva. With the wisdom of the two generations, we have sought to answer glaring questions of engineers-to-be.

1. How impactful is placing in the top 10?

Both Victor and Jason think that placing the top 10 on the boards does have a great impact but only to a certain extent. Jason explained that placing top 10, as he did years back, can get you a lot of job offers off the bat. However, it’s not necessarily a good precedent for a good career. How work and how strategic you are in your career will matter more in the long run.

1. What’s the best advice to help plan a career?

With Jason’s many years of experience, he answered that you really have to perform in your first work. You have to do the work and even go beyond your job description if you can. You have to be able to show that you can handle projects and show you have leadership potential. You also have to be smart with your career moves as well which includes avoiding job-hopping.

1. Can you ace the boards even if you failed a subject in college?

Victor, who runs an Engineering Boards review center, tells of a case of an exam taker who has failed a class while at university and still became top 5 when he took the exam. He said it doesn’t correlate. The board exams are a whole new game and if you work hard and play it right, you can ace it.

1. Is it better to review full-time or can you do it part-time?

Both speakers acknowledged that being able to review full-time is the best option. If you can review full-time, go do it. With this, you can focus more on studying and taking care of your body to be able to take the exam. With just studying full-time, you can build better routines and study habits. Victor shares a lot of his study routines on his youtube and this has been a great guide to many.

If you’d like to watch Engineered to Win: From CE Boards to the Boardroom, the full video is available here. The event consists of a short talk from both speakers and a Q&A portion after.

At JCVA, we dream of building the future with the Filipino youth. Have any plans to hold similar events? Partner with us. Email us at info@jcvassociates.ph and visit www.jcvassociates.ph to know more about our consultancy offerings.